Definition and Context:
Rotting, in a biblical context, refers to the process of decay and decomposition, often used metaphorically to describe moral and spiritual corruption. The imagery of rotting is employed in Scripture to illustrate the consequences of sin, the fleeting nature of earthly life, and the judgment that comes from turning away from God.

Biblical References:

1. Moral and Spiritual Decay:
The Bible frequently uses the concept of rotting to symbolize the moral and spiritual decay that results from sin. In Proverbs 10:7, it is written, "The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot." This verse contrasts the enduring legacy of the righteous with the inevitable decay of the wicked's reputation, highlighting the moral consequences of a life lived apart from God's commandments.

2. Fleeting Nature of Earthly Life:
The transient nature of human life is often depicted through the imagery of decay. In Job 13:28, Job laments, "So man wastes away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths." This vivid description underscores the frailty and impermanence of human existence, reminding believers of the importance of focusing on eternal matters rather than temporal concerns.

3. Judgment and Consequences of Sin:
The prophetic books of the Old Testament frequently use the imagery of rotting to describe the judgment that befalls those who persist in sin. In Hosea 5:12, God declares, "So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah." Here, the metaphor of decay serves as a warning of the divine judgment that comes upon those who reject God's ways, emphasizing the destructive nature of sin.

4. Corruption of the Flesh:
The New Testament also addresses the concept of rotting in the context of the flesh and its desires. In Galatians 6:8, Paul writes, "The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." This passage contrasts the decay associated with living according to the flesh with the eternal life promised to those who live by the Spirit.

Theological Implications:

The imagery of rotting in the Bible serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of sin and the importance of living a life aligned with God's will. It calls believers to examine their lives, repent of their sins, and seek the righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. The decay of the wicked and the fleeting nature of earthly life underscore the need for a focus on spiritual growth and the pursuit of eternal values.

Practical Application:

Believers are encouraged to avoid the moral and spiritual decay that comes from sin by living according to the teachings of Scripture. This involves regular self-examination, repentance, and a commitment to spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers. By doing so, Christians can cultivate a life that reflects the righteousness of Christ and stands in contrast to the decay of the world.(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Rot.3363. yaqa -- to be dislocated or alienated
... oneself, ie (by implication) to be dislocated; figuratively, to abandon; causatively,
to impale (and thus allow to drop to pieces by rotting) -- be alienated ...
/hebrew/3363.htm - 6k

4743. maqaq -- to decay, rot, fester, pine away
... root Definition to decay, rot, fester, pine away NASB Word Usage fester (1), rot
(3), rot away (3), rotting away (1), waste away (1), wear away (1). ...
/hebrew/4743.htm - 6k

Salt Without Savour
... who had gathered round him, stands up there on the mountain, and says to them,
'You, a handful, are the people who are to keep the world from rotting, and to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/salt without savour.htm

The Carrion and the Vultures
... And so, says Christ, wherever there is a rotting, dead society, a carcase hopelessly
corrupt and evil, down upon it, as if drawn by some unerring attraction ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the carrion and the vultures.htm

The So-Called Letter to Diognetus
... use? Here is a wooden one, already rotting away, and one made of silver,
that needs a watchman to protect it from being stolen. ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the so-called letter to diognetus.htm

A Parable in a Miracle
... Its hideous symptoms, its rotting sores, its slow, stealthy, steady progress, its
defiance of all known means of cure, made its victim only too faithful a ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/a parable in a miracle.htm

A Dark Picture and a Bright Hope
... be properly rendered. The one is created after God, the other is rotting
to pieces under the influence of its lusts. The one consists ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/a dark picture and a.htm

The Water of Life (Preached at Westminster Abbey)
... images, may be called up in our minds, here in the heart of London, in murky alleys
and foul courts, where there is too often, as in the poet's rotting sea -. ...
/.../kingsley/the water of life and other sermons/sermon i the water of.htm

On the Soul and Body and the Passion of the Lord.
... For the form indeed lay rotting in the ground; but that inspiration which had been
as the breath of life, was detained separate from the body in a dark place ...
/.../v on the soul and body.htm

Five Books in Reply to Marcion.
... Outdriven by His bidding, and own Christ! All limbs, already rotting, by
a word. Are healed; now walks the lame; the deaf forthwith. ...
/.../fathers of the third century tertullian appendix/5 five books in reply.htm

It is Indeed a Greater Fight of Patience...
... From the head to the feet were burning pains, were crawling worms, were running
sores; still in the rotting body the mind remained entire, and horrid as were ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/on patience /9 it is indeed a.htm

Disestablishment
... of war (June 18,1812), and the patrolling of Long Island Sound by a British fleet,
brought such desolation to Connecticut that ships again lay rotting at the ...
/.../chapter xv disestablishment.htm

Rotting (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Rot. Multi-Version Concordance
Rotting (1 Occurrence). Ezekiel 33:10 You, son of man ...
/r/rotting.htm - 6k

Rottenness (9 Occurrences)

/r/rottenness.htm - 10k

Rough (24 Occurrences)

/r/rough.htm - 15k

Leprosy (51 Occurrences)
... From the skin the disease eats inward to the bones, rotting the whole body piecemeal."
"In Christ's day no leper could live in a walled town, though he might ...
/l/leprosy.htm - 37k

Rot (15 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To expose, as flax, to a process of maceration, etc., for the purpose of
separating the fiber; to ret. 5. (n.) Process of rotting; decay; putrefaction. ...
/r/rot.htm - 13k

Spinning
... This operation consisted in soaking the stems in water until fermentation or rotting
had so loosened the fibers that they could be separated from each other by ...
/s/spinning.htm - 9k

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